The area comprises the
great expanse from the interior of Canada and
Alaska to the Atlantic Coast and all of the area
extending east of the Mississippi River. This
region is characterized except in the far north
by deciduous forests.
Much of the area's inhabitants
except the far Northern peoples derived at least
in part a portion of their food supply from corn
farming. As a culture area the Woodlands is considered
divisible into four distinct sub areas: The Northern
Woodlands, Great Lakes, Northeast and Southeast.
In the Northern Woodlands
there are two distinct groups: The Athabascan
speaking people to the West and The Algonquian
speakers of the East, each dependant on seasonal
hunting and gathering. Influences from culture
areas adjacent to these groups caused variations
in their culture.
In the West the Tahltan
were influenced by Northwest Coast peoples. The
Naskapi and Chipewayan were influenced by traits
from the Eskimo and Plains Cree and the Ojibwa
living north of the Great Lakes showed similar
traits. Tree Bark was used almost universally
in this area being made into Canoes, vessels to
drink from, even housing material.
The very limited food
supply coupled with the harsh conditions of weather
due to the northern latitude brought periods of
feasting followed by near famine in the winter
months.Consequently the artistic production was
quite limited in scope, however what was made
was remarkable.
In the extreme Northern
area garments were often fitted in a style most
likely influenced from that of the Eskimo and
quilled in extremely fine applied quillwork decoration.
Previously, painting was used as decoration to
clothing, but is now almost non existent.
To the South around Lake
Michigan the abundance of food supply provided
the people an opportunity to develop a more complex
religious system and a more refined art was produced
than their neighbors to the north. Sculpture in
wood was a dominant feature; clubs, bowls and
dolls were some of the items often beautifully
rendered.
From this region also
the manufacture of elaborately decorated clothing
usually incorporating intricate use of Trade ribbon
in appliqué technique. Porcupine Quill
work replaced the Moosehair embroidery of those
neighbors to the North along with folded rawhide
boxes and envelopes.
Almost all Great Lakes
Tribes produced metal ornaments and some reflected
the earlier pieces made by their ancient ancestors.
The Medewiwin or Grand Medicine Society, a secret
curing society, which supposedly endowed its members
with supernatural powers, was the dominant religion.
The ritual and paraphernalia was elaborate with
the development of a form of picture writing used
as a memory aid to recall the old songs and sequence.
Much cross-cultural influence
affected the Great Lakes area. Ojibwa groups to
the north carried the floral designs to the Cree
while the affects of the spread westward of Europeans
pushed many Woodlands people onto the Plains bringing
their cultures and life ways to the Nebraska,
Winnebago, Ioway and Santee Sioux.
As this was taking place
their old homeland was also being occupied by
some other groups like the Oneida and Munsee peoples
from the Northeast. The Northeastern Woodlands
area extends from the Eastern Great Lakes through
New York and New England.
At the time of first contact
with Europeans it was occupied by many tribes
of Algonkian stock ,the powerful Iroquois Confederacy.
Little is known of the early Atlantic Coast groups
because of the affects of disease and warfare
between these Indians and the Europeans. Northeastern
Tribes, especially the Iroquois's were similar
in material culture to the Great Lakes people,
the Iroquois being a conservative group still
occupy much of the same territory as at first
contact.
Many Iroquois still speak
their own language and follow the teachings of
their prophet “Handsome Lake”. They
still participate in masked dances and continue
to manufacture some of the old arts. Politically
the organization of the Iroquois Confederation
made up of six tribes: The Oneida, Seneca, Mohawk,
Onondaga Cayuga and Tuscarora form the League
of the Iroquois which supposedly had the influence
in the formation of the Constitution of the United
States.
Their alliance held great
sway with the Dutch, English and later the United
States. Perhaps the most notable works produced
by the Iroquois are their wooden masks, which
were worn in curing ceremonies. The false face
masks are carved from living trees and those,
which are used, are believed to possess animal
spirits. Other notable developments of manufacture
include splint basketry, yarn sashes, twined bags
and metal ornaments. Carved Wooden Clubs and bowls
were also produced with great sophistication. |
